Singles leader Matthew Griffin is happy to be back in the hot seat. The four-year varsity player for Mount Si begins his senior season in the top solo spot for boys tennis, and will face some good competition.

In tennis, “You have to plan your victories,” says Griffin. “You don’t just happen upon them. It’s a combination of patience, and knowing what the right time is to strike.”

Griffin played doubles his freshman year. Doubles, he says, has a team sense. Tennis partners need to have chemistry. Singles tennis, though, its all about the competition.

“With doubles, you feel like you can’t let your double partner down, and causes you to play more tentatively—at least it does for me,” Griffin said. But in singles, it’s all on you.

The Mount Si boys tennis team is shaping up, with junior John Day at two singles, and at third, Ryan Cannelini, a sophomore, who moved up from junior varsity midway through last season.

“He’s one of the surprises I saw last year,” said head coach Jim Gibowski. At four is Jake Holmes, another sophomore who moved up last year. In doubles, the veterans are pairs Royce Schwartzenberger and Brady Thomas, and George Corriveau and Jonah Kingery. Those groups will battle it out for the top spot.

Now, in 4A, Mount Si has a lot more matches this year than in years past. That gives the team additional opportunities to learn and improve. Mount Si looks to be competitive against some teams, but 4A offers a new and equally challenging league.

“All these teams have good number ones and twos, and we’re going to compete best from the bottom up,” Gibowski said. “We’ve been doing that for years.”

Mount Si boys tennis schedule

Wednesday, Sept. 10

• Mount Si hosts Sammamish, 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 18

• Mount Si at Sammamish, 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 23

• Mount Si at Skyline, 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 25

• Mount Si hosts Redmond, 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 30

• Mount Si hosts Newport, 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 2

• Mount Si hosts Liberty, 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 7

• Mount Si at Redmond, 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 14

• Mount Si at Woodinville, 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 16

• Mount Si at Bothell, 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 21

• Mount Si hosts Inglemoor, 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 23

• Mount Si at Issaquah, 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 28

• Mount Si hosts Eastlake, 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 29

• KingCo tournament, TBD at Skyline.